U.S. patent number 4,305,209 [Application Number 06/038,054] was granted by the patent office on 1981-12-15 for adaptor.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Precision International, Inc.. Invention is credited to Tsunehisa Yamashita.
United States Patent |
4,305,209 |
Yamashita |
December 15, 1981 |
Adaptor
Abstract
An adaptor for mounting one instrument, such as an electronic
distance measuring device, atop another instrument, such as a
telescope or theodolite, for movement together about a horizontal
axis with a base member attached to the upper device and presenting
two downwardly facing cam surfaces and support members engaging the
cam surfaces for vertical movement against springs to counteract
the forces produced by the upper instrument as it pivots.
Inventors: |
Yamashita; Tsunehisa
(Tullahoma, TN) |
Assignee: |
Precision International, Inc.
(Tullahoma, TN)
|
Family
ID: |
21897856 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/038,054 |
Filed: |
May 11, 1979 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
33/275R;
248/178.1; 33/284 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01C
3/04 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G01C
3/02 (20060101); G01C 3/04 (20060101); G01C
003/04 (); G01C 001/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;356/3,4,5,256
;248/176-178,187 ;33/275R,284 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
Brochure G1 311-Wild Dl 3 Distomat. .
Brochure G1 324e-Wild Dl 10 Distomat..
|
Primary Examiner: Evans; F. L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Cushman, Darby & Cushman
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An adaptor for mounting an instrument device on a stand and on a
second instrument device for movement together with said second
device comprising:
a base member for connection on one side to said first device and
having at least one cam surface on the opposite side thereof;
and
supporting means for connection to said stand and to said devices
for coupling said devices together for pivotable movement of said
devices about a horizontal axis, including a support member for
mounting on said stand, and engaging said cam surface for relative
movement with respect thereto and vertical movement as said devices
are pivoted, compressible spring means engaging said support member
and for mounting on said stand for applying a vertical force
thereto in opposition to the vertical force applied by said cam
surface to said support member, said vertical force applied by said
spring means varying to counteract the change in force applied by
said cam surface as said device is pivoted, and means for mounting
said spring means and support member.
2. An adaptor as in claim 1, wherein said cam surface is
non-linear.
3. An adaptor as in claim 1, wherein said base member has two cam
surfaces and wherein said supporting means includes first and
second supporting members, each engaging one of said cam surfaces,
first and second spring means and first and second mounting
means.
4. An adaptor as in claim 3, wherein said supporting members are
mounted on opposite sides of said horizontal axis about which said
devices pivot and on opposite sides of a second horizontal axis
perpendicular to said axis about which said devices pivot.
5. An adaptor as in claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein the surface of
said supporting member engaging said cam surface is rounded.
6. In combination:
a first instrument device;
a second instrument device;
a stand; and
means for mounting said instruments on said stand for pivotable
movement together about a horizontal axis including an adaptor for
mounting said first instrument device on said stand and on said
second instrument device for movement together with said second
device comprising:
a base member for connection on one side to said first device and
having at least one cam surface on the opposite side thereof;
and
supporting means for connection to said stand and to said devices
for coupling said devices together for pivotable movement of said
devices about a horizontal axis, including a support member mounted
on said stand, and engaging said cam surface for relative movement
with respect thereto and vertical movement as said devices are
pivoted, compressible spring means mounted on said stand engaging
said support member for applying a vertical force thereto in
opposition to the vertical force applied by said cam surface to
said support member, said vertical force applied by said spring
means varying to counteract the change in force applied by said cam
surface as said device is pivoted, and means for mounting said
spring means and support member.
7. In combination as in claim 6, wherein said first instrument is
an electronic distance measuring device and said second instrument
is an optical device.
8. In combination as in claim 6, wherein said cam surface is
non-linear.
9. In combination as in claim 6, wherein said base member has two
cam surfaces and said supporting means includes first and second
supporting members each enging one of said cam surfaces, first and
second spring means, and first and second mounting means.
10. In combination as in claim 9, wherein said supporting members
are mounted on opposite sides of said horizontal axis about which
said devices pivot and on opposite sides of a second horizontal
axis perpendicular to said axis about which said devices pivot.
11. In combination as in claim 10, wherein the surface of said
supporting member engaging said cam surface is rounded.
Description
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an adaptor for mounting one instrument on
another instrument so that both are pivotably movable together
about a horizontal axis.
Often it is desirable to be able to mount one instrument atop
another so that both can be used simultaneously. For example,
electronic distance measuring devices are instruments which
transmit a beam of light to a distant object, receive the reflected
beam, and determine and display the distance to the object. Such
devices are commonly used for surveying and it is convenient to use
them in conjunction with conventional otpical devices such as
telescopes and theodolites. Preferably, the electronic distance
measuring device is mounted atop the optical instrument for
pivotable movement therewith.
An instrument such as an electronic distance measuring device
cannot simply be attached to a theodolite or the like because the
balance of the two instruments together will be unsatisfactory. An
adaptor must be used to attach the upper instrument to both the
lower instrument and the stand and to provide compensating forces
as the instruments are tilted.
One type of adaptor now in use for such systems utilizes three
downwardly extending male members attached to the upper instrument
which must be received in corresponding female portions in a lower
member and engage springs which are horizontally compressed to
produce compensating forces as the two instruments pivot together
about a horizontal axis. The device must be locked in place and is
unwieldy to assemble. In addition, some torque is produced by the
device, and it is difficult to find springs which will compensate
exactly for the forces produced by the pivoting motion of the upper
instrument.
The present invention relates to an improved adaptor of the type
which utilizes at least one and preferably two supporting members
adapted to be coupled to the stand which supports the lower
instrument for pivotable movement. Each of these supporting members
engages a cam surface of the adaptor which is attached to the upper
instrument. A compressible spring engages each of the support
members and produces a force which varies as the support members
engage different portions of the cam surface and move vertically in
accordance therewith. No torque is produced and the supporting
members ride on the cam surfaces rather than engage female or other
portions thereof. The contour can be linear or nonlinear and can be
specifically designed to exactly counteract the forces produced by
any given upper instrument as it moves with the lower instrument
about a horizontal axis.
Other objects and purposes of the invention will be clear from the
following detailed description of the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a side view of one embodiment of the present
invention;
FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 along the
lines 2--2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Reference is now made to FIGS. 1 and 2 which illustrate one
embodiment of the present invention for coupling together an upper
first instrument 20 and a lower second instrument 22. As described
above, the invention finds particular utility with, but is not
limited to, mounting an electronic distance measuring instrument
above an optical instrument such as a telescope or theodolite. The
lower instrument 22 is conventionally mounted for pivotable
movement about an axis 24 with regard to a stationary stand 26. The
adaptor 28 includes a pair of support members 30 and 32, which are
mounted for vertical movement in and out of members 34 and 36,
respectively, against the urging of springs 38 and 40. Members 34
and 36 are directly mounted on stand 26 and fixed with respect to
instruments 20 and 22.
Adaptor 28 further includes a base member 41, which is connected on
one side to the lower surface of instrument 20 and presents on the
other side first and second cam surfaces 42 and 44 which
respectively engage the rounded ends of members 30 and 32. These
cam surfaces may be linear or non-linear, and are preferably shaped
so that springs 38 and 40 exactly compensate for the vertical
forces applied to members 30 and 32 by cam surface 42 and 44 as
instrument 20 is pivoted about horizontal axis 24 together with the
lower instrument 22.
Instruments 22 and 20 are rigidly connected together for pivotal
movement about axis 24 by means of member 46 which slides in a
track 48.
The adaptor can be made of any suitable material, preferably metal,
and can be used for coupling together any instruments. Many changes
and modifications in the above-described embodiment of the
invention can, of course, be made without departing from the scope
thereof. Accordingly, that scope is intended to be limited only by
the scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *